Alistair Darling argues that the independence referendum is not a question of
patriotism but a judgment call on what would be best for Scots' families.

Scots should demonstrate they love their families and country by rejecting independence and preventing “a giant leap backwards from which we wouldn't recover,” Alistair Darling has said.

Unveiling a major new poster campaign, the Better Together leader argued the referendum is a matter of common sense rather than patriotism and Yes voters would not be “any more Scottish” if the separatists win.

Instead he argued they would “have made Scotland that bit poorer” by denying their countrymen the many advantages the UK provides and ushering in the extra spending cuts that would accompany a Yes vote.

His claim that rejecting separation meant “voting for Scotland” was accompanied by Better Together unveiling new billboard posters with slogans such: “I love my family. I’m saying No Thanks.”

However, the posters infuriated the nationalists and Alex Salmond argued they were “another major gaff” following a party political broadcast last week that he described as “patronising” to women.

Speaking in Greenock, Mr Darling said: “This poll is not a test of our Scottishness – it is a test of common sense. If you vote Yes on September 18 and Yes wins – you won't be any more Scottish on September 19th. None of us will be.

“But you will have made Scotland that bit poorer. You will have denied Scots opportunities. You will have put all the advantages we enjoy – the jobs, the pensions, the spending on schools and hospitals – you will have put all of that at risk.”

The former Labour Chancellor argued the referendum was instead a “test of judgment” over what was best for Scotland and highlighted the new billboard adverts as crystallising “the decision all of us are making”.

Another of the posters showed a family and carried the slogan “We love our kids. We’re saying No Thanks.”, while a third showed a mother with a baby and the caption “I love Scotland. I’m saying No Thanks.”

Although he said people on both sides of the debate love their families, Mr Darling said the best way for undecided voters to show this was keeping Scotland “as a proud and prosperous part of the United Kingdom.”

He highlighted a report by the impartial Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) warning that an additional £6 billion of spending cuts or tax increases would be required in a separate Scotland thanks to rapidly declining oil revenues.

Arguing the UK provides “an insurance policy” against this filtering through into cuts to public spending, Mr Darling said: “Scotland won't face those plans for ‘Austerity Plus’ from the nationalists if we vote No to it.”

He added: “I don't want the next step in Scotland's journey to be a giant leap backwards from which we wouldn't recover.”

Mr Salmond staged a walkabout in Dundee, which is said to be the most nationalist place in Scotland, dismissed the Better Together posters and said the Yes campaign was “winning the hearts and minds of people across Scotland.”

He said “the No campaign are in serial blunder mode and “everybody loves their family their family regardless of politics".

The First Minister said increasing numbers of former No supporters were also switching sides and blamed Better Together for failing to name a “single job-creating tool” that would be devolved to Holyrood if there was a No vote.

But Gordon Brown will use a speech at Coatbridge High School in North Lanarkshire tonight to highlight academic research showing 962,000 Scottish jobs – more than 40 per cent – are linked directly or indirectly to the UK.

He is expected to warn there would be “no hiding place” in the international community for a separate Scotland if Mr Salmond made good his threat not to accept a share of the UK’s national debt.

The former Prime Minister will be speaking at the first in a series of rallies targeting undecided voters in traditional Labour areas, which both sides think will decide the referendum result.